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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29527524">Of Snakes And Men</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/pseuds/bgn846'>bgn846</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Maralithio, Gladio as a 2000 yo snake man who likes Ignis. A lot. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Gladio as a maralith, Human/Monster Romance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, lets go ahead and say sorta pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:40:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,515</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29527524</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/pseuds/bgn846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ignis gets kidnapped by a maralith during battle. However, when Ignis thinks he's about to die the maralith does the last thing he expects.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gladiolus Amicitia &amp; Ignis Scientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Maralithio, Gladio as a 2000 yo snake man who likes Ignis. A lot. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2176830</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Of Snakes And Men</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Got inspired by an awesome piece of art by Crimbly Sun of Gladio maralith holding Ignis. So I present this. Don't ask just read and enjoy! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being crushed to death by a huge, monster snake was not how Ignis wanted to die. He’d only tried to help the glaive standing nearby when the thing attacked. Unfortunately, that meant Ignis had become the maraliths target instead. Memories of Noct’s gruesome childhood injury flashed through Ignis’ mind as he was lifted in the air. One pair of massive arms was solely focused on holding him while the other two pair kept fighting.</p><p>With his arms pinned down in the maraliths strong grip, Ignis quickly gave up on the idea of summoning his daggers. He’d most likely end up slicing his leg open and bleed out before anyone could save him. If they could save him that is, the situation wasn’t exactly looking hopeful.</p><p>What was supposed to have been a simple diplomatic trip outside the wall had quickly turned into a nightmare. None of them had been expecting a giant pissed-off maralith to appear and block the road. At least the prince was safe; Noct was at the citadel safe with the king. Though that thought did little to help Ignis now. </p><p>A loud boom sounded a second later causing Ignis look down; one of the glaives on the ground had set off a smoke bomb. Unable to escape the billowing cloud of gas Ignis began choking. Six, it was bloody tear gas. His throat burned but maybe it was having the same effect on the maralith. Wiggling experimentally, Ignis tried to push away the massive hands locking his body in place.</p><p>To no such avail, he was stuck, and breathing was becoming a real problem. During his coughing fit, Ignis barely registered the loud roar from the monster.  Guess it didn’t like the gas either. The thing just had to let him go, the fall would hurt but he’d be free of the blasted maralith.</p><p>However, that is not what happened. His lungs were burning and he couldn’t see properly due to the gas making his eyes tear up. Then, the only thing his senses were aware of was the dizzying effect of moving too fast. The gas mercifully lifted, but that wasn’t a good thing either. The maralith had simply fled the fight with Ignis still in his clutches.</p><p>Still unable to catch a decent breath Ignis tried again to work his way free. This time the maralith noticed and growled. Everything was blurry but Ignis was conscious of the landscape changing. Were they heading up a bloody mountain cliff?</p><p>The distant shouts of the glaives soon faded, replaced by howling winds. Suddenly, the light dimmed and they were surrounded by darkness. Ignis was going to die, he’d been captured by a monster and it’d taken him away. His vision was still clouded, but he realized the maralith had gone into a cave. Crying out in a desperate bid for life, Ignis wondered if he could reason with the monster.</p><p>Hope flickered in his chest when he felt the monster set him down a moment later. Taking his shirt to rub at his face, Ignis attempted to wipe away the tear gas residue. The sting was still great and he gave up after a few seconds, he needed relief but couldn’t see well enough to do anything more. That’s when he heard splashing water. Reaching out with his hand he immediately felt the icy touch of water.</p><p>Without pause, Ignis shoved his glasses up on his head and lurched forward to clean his face. Finally, the burn was going away and he could see something. The cave was nearly pitch black, aside from dim light coming from above. There must have been another entrance further up the cave wall. For now, all he could make out was the freshwater pool at his fingertips and the hulking shadow of the maralith twenty yards away.</p><p>The monster was scrubbing at his face and throwing water over its head. The thing was apparently unaffected by the freezing waters. Realizing this might be his only chance to get away Ignis scrambled to get up. If he could make it back to the entrance maybe he could slide down the cliff face. Wishing he’d been able to master warping like Noct, Ignis stumbled forward grasping clumsily at the rock sides, he couldn’t jet away to safety so easily.</p><p>He’d only made it a few feet when the maralith noticed. There was a loud shout followed by the sound of sloshing water. Ignis didn’t want to look behind him; he knew the monster was coming. Speeding up his pace caused Ignis to slip on the wet rocks. Managing to stay mostly upright he continued on, he had to try to escape.</p><p>Taking another step resulted in his foot slipping again, this time into the icy waters. Cringing at the sensation Ignis quickly stood up, however, the loose stone underneath his feet merely shifted further. A sickening crack was all that prepared him for the rock face giving way and sending him into the dark freezing pool.</p><p>The shock of the water temperature instantly numbed his senses as he sank into the depths. The pool was a lot deeper than it seemed. It took a few long seconds for his brain to kick into gear, he needed air. This is when another terrifying aspect of his current predicament came to light. His ankle was trapped underneath something. Something heavy, like a fucking rock.</p><p>It was becoming harder and harder to think as he struggled to free himself. Pulling at his leg did nothing to help, he wouldn’t last much longer. The lack of air was making his lungs burn, and just as he felt the world fading away something grabbed his leg.</p><p>--</p><p>The smell of burning wood was the first thing Ignis became aware of as he slowly woke up.  Prying his eyes open a second later caused his heart rate to double. Colorful scales of blue, green, and black were all around him. A makeshift wall of giant snake tail was looming over him. Suppressing the urge to yell he looked around. Maybe he could still escape if he kept his wits.</p><p>However, his brain was slow to catch up as he worked to control his breathing. Not only was he partially surrounded by the maralith, but he was also laying on it too. A smooth scaly pillow of sorts cushioned his head, and there was one under his knees as well. Then, when he noticed that most of his clothes had been removed, Ignis actually whimpered. Being covered by a blanket had prevented this fact from registering properly. He was well and truly fucked.</p><p>That’s when he started violently shaking; he was going into shock all over again. This of course alerted the giant snake-man to his troubles. A huge figure soon appeared hovering over him.</p><p>“Nocere tibi, movens subsisto,” the monster said in what Ignis was sure was a concerned tone.</p><p>Stunned by hearing him speak Ignis merely lay there with his mouth moving but nothing coming out.</p><p>“Adiuva me,” the snake man uttered softly.</p><p>Curse exhaustion for making him sluggish. Ignis was certain that the language being spoken was something familiar. In an old, ancient, lost civilization kinda way. </p><p>“Frigidus es?” The maralith asked.</p><p>Cold, that word he knew. This monster was speaking ancient Solheimian. What in eos was happening? Still unable to form a coherent thought Ignis waved his arm around helplessly.</p><p>The maralith tilted its head and spoke once more. “Frigidus es?”</p><p>“Uh, no, I’m not cold, erm, ego n-non frigus,” Ignis added when he finally remembered some of the old language. He’d studied it in college, all for Noct of course, for when he would go find the royal arms. Now was as good a time as any to use it, what little he could recall. </p><p>Surprisingly, the maralith smiled at the admission and turned to point at the brightly burning fire a few yards away. Squinting into the flames Ignis thought he saw crownsguard issue supply crates. Looking into the cave further, along the wall, Ignis spotted a rather large stockpile of crownsguard goods. This maralith had been pilfering supply trucks for months according to reports he’d read. Assuming their small convoy of cars wouldn’t interest the maralith had been a poor decision.</p><p>The fact that it’d been stealing goods also played a part in Ignis’ survival at the moment. Otherwise, he’d be freezing to death on a cold stone floor. No blanket and no fire. His shaking had subsided slightly when he understood that he wasn’t going to get killed. At least not right then and there.</p><p>Swallowing down his fear he attempted to remember what had happened. He was confused as to why he was still alive. He’d been drowning in a freezing pool. If the lack of air hadn’t gotten him then hypothermia surely would have set in. That meant the maralith had saved him. Even building a fire to keep him warm and removing his wet clothes. Which he spotted drying by the fire, laid out with care.</p><p>None of this made any sense. “Why did you help me?” Ignis asked as he rolled carefully onto his side. Curling into a ball made his body feel warmer.</p><p>“Non volunt occidere.”</p><p>Taking a deep breath Ignis worked to figure out the words. Something about kill, but it also had the word no. “You didn’t want to hurt me? Is that what you are saying?” he tried, hoping the maralith would understand.</p><p>When the snake man nodded and smiled again Ignis felt dizzy. He’d been kidnapped and rescued by a monster. “What are you going to do with me? I’ve got to get home.”</p><p>“Prima cura, reliqua opus.”</p><p>Those words were good, heal and rest, but then what after he’d done that, what did the monster have in mind? “Will you let me go?”</p><p>This time the maralith pouted and heaved a heavy sigh. All three pairs of arms were crossed in defiance across his chest, but after a moment he let them fall to the side and nodded.</p><p>“Do you have a name?” Ignis asked looking up at the monster. His human half had long dark hair and his eyes almost looked like amber in the firelight.</p><p>“Invocabunt me Gladiolus,” he answered with a slight bow. “Et vos?” he added gesturing towards Ignis.</p><p>Wondering if giving out his name would cause any issues Ignis threw caution into the wind and answered. “Ignis.”</p><p>The maralith, Gladiolus, became excited and pointed to the fire again. “Bonum nomen, tam pugnare tecum.”</p><p>Blinking stupidly Ignis worked to translate what he’d said. Gladiolus had complimented his name and told him he fought well. Guess this was a start to not becoming snake bait later. He was about to add more when a loud trilling noise filled the space. Gladiolus growled and immediately pointed to the clothes drying by the fire.</p><p>“Malum est magna!” he exclaimed.</p><p>Struggling to sit up Ignis wondered if he could drag himself over to his jacket to answer his phone before Gladiolus pounded it into dust. The maralith saw him move and immediately held out one massive hand to push him back. Ignis went to protest until he noticed Gladio grabbing the coat with one of his many other arms.</p><p>Holding out in front of him, Ignis searched the pockets for his phone. Surprised it was still working he scrambled to hit the answer button. “Hello! Don’t hang up I’m here!” he cried out.</p><p>“Ignis?! Thank the astrals, are you hurt? Where are you? I’m gonna rescue you! Can you walk?” The voice attached to the rather long list of questions was Noct. Ignis was sure he heard his voice crack over the line. He’d been fearing the worst.</p><p>“Noctis, I’m alright, please calm down.”</p><p>“I was so worried!” Noct breathed out in a rush. “Hey! He answered!” Noct shouted a second later to someone else in the room. “I told you he wasn’t dead!” </p><p>The phone sounded like it was being handed off before another voice came over the line. “Ignis, are you alright? What’s your status?” Cor asked in obvious relief.</p><p>“Uh, I’m unharmed,” Ignis offered.</p><p>“Do you know where you are?”</p><p>“Not really, let me ask,” Ignis paused and looked over to Gladiolus. “Might you let my friends come get me?”</p><p>Gladiolus narrowed his eyes and pouted again. “Fortasse…”</p><p>“Otherwise, you’d have to help me get back down the side of this mountain.”</p><p>“Ego auxiliatus sum,” he answered quickly.</p><p>“Ignis, who are you talking to?” Cor asked in a high-pitched voice.</p><p>“Gladiolus, the maralith that kidnapped me and then saved my life when I almost drown and caught hypothermia.”</p><p>“Huh, and you didn’t hit your head or anything?”</p><p>“Marshal, I’m well beyond my comfort level at the moment, so I’m trying to find a silver lining where I can.”</p><p>“I think I heard the word for help from your er, friend.”</p><p>“As did I, what do you suggest I do now?”</p><p>“Find out when he’s gonna let you leave and we’ll be waiting. We know the general area you <em>should</em> be in.” </p><p>“That doesn’t sound hopeful.”</p><p>“Silver lining Ignis,” Cor replied. “Are you sure you feel safe? I don’t want this to be our last communication from you.”</p><p>“I’ve already asked if he intends to kill me and he said no, correct?” Ignis added as he again caught Gladiolus' eye.</p><p>“Tutum, noli commoveri,” he rumbled authoritatively.</p><p>“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but it appears I’m safe, with the maralith.” Ignis could feel his body starting to shake again. None of this was normal.</p><p>“Save your battery and call again when you have more information.”</p><p>“Yes, of course.” Before he could hang up Noct came back on the line sounding a lot like he’d been sniffling.</p><p>“I don’t like the idea of you still being lost out there. You sure you’ll be okay?” The prince asked.</p><p>“I hope so Noct, try not to worry. I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>“Okay, love you specs,”</p><p>For Noct to tell him that, meant he was truly rattled. Taking a calming breath Ignis answered kindly. “I love you too.” </p><p>The call disconnected shortly afterward, leaving Ignis with more feelings than he anticipated.  Setting the phone down he was surprised to see Gladiolus frowning at him. “You said you’d let me go, did you lie to me?” he checked with worry.</p><p>Instead of answering the question, Gladiolus asked one of his own. “Quis est? Amans tui?” the maralith almost looked hurt.</p><p>Thinking fast Ignis wracked his brain for what the words meant. Gladiolus wanted to know who he was speaking with and the other word <em>amans</em> that was familiar. Dear six, he’d asked if he’d talked with his lover! “No, no, uh frater, frater meus! My brother!” It was the best way to describe what Noct was to him, they’d practically grown up together.</p><p>Gladiolus sagged with obvious relief and smiled again. “Bonum! Tu es amans mei.”</p><p>“What? What did you just say?” Ignis checked, he could feel the blood in his body not doing its job. He was getting lightheaded and feeling dizzy. “What do you mean?”</p><p>The maralith only grinned at him, “Amans mei.”</p><p>Love me? What was he saying exactly? Then in a flash he remembered the saying, used so often in old ancient love poems. Amans mei, my lover. Groaning at the implications Ignis flopped back down on his back. Great, he’d attracted the attention of a maralith. Moving his arm Ignis weakly pointed to his clothes. “May I have them, I’d like to get dressed now.”</p><p>--</p><p>Staring out over the lip of the cave mouth was making Ignis’ mouth go dry, they were very high up, no wonder the glaive were unable to follow him when Gladiolus took off earlier.</p><p>“Curam,” Gladiolus said as he silently slithered up beside him.</p><p>That word Ignis knew the meaning of now, Gladiolus kept saying it even though he was fine, mostly. “I’m being careful,” he huffed.</p><p>Gladiolus pointed down and shook his head.</p><p>“I won’t fall.” Thankfully the maralith didn’t comment further while they waited. Ignis was looking for the convoy of glaive coming to get him. He’d managed to figure out his location once Gladiolus let him see outside. Apparently, he’d been very upset about seeing Ignis with a limp. Getting stuck underneath a pile of rocks will do that to a man. There were no potions in the armiger, and Ignis didn’t want to worry Noct any more than necessary by calling and requesting one.</p><p>Finally, when the trail of dust appeared on the horizon Ignis knew his friends had arrived. “It’s time, you’ll not attack, correct?”</p><p>Gladiolus shook his head and smiled. “Tutum.” The man’s smile was disarming, considering what it was attached to.</p><p>“Yes, as you’ve mentioned already, several times. You’ll forgive me if I’m slow to believe.”</p><p>“Tutum,” Gladio repeated, “Safe.”</p><p>Turning wide-eyed to the maralith Ignis waited to see if he’d say anything else. “Can you speak English?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Licking his lips Ignis couldn’t think of how to counter that statement. No was a pretty easy word to learn. “How will I get down?”</p><p>The maralith pointed to himself and held out two of his hands. Oh no Ignis was meant to be carried. Something about being trapped in the monster's grasp was a little heart attack inducing.</p><p>“Hurt, I hold,” he added slithering forward.</p><p>Ignis couldn’t help but yelp like a little kid when Gladiolus picked him up a second later. “Curam!” he exclaimed.</p><p>“Yes, careful.”</p><p>“You know English, you sneaky bastard!” Ignis huffed.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Sighing in defeat Ignis had no time to prepare himself when Gladiolus slithered past the edge of the cave entrance and slide down half the mountain on his belly. Ignis was sure he screamed. He hollered when he road rollercoasters, this was no fucking different!</p><p>When they came to a stop a minute later Ignis found he was clutching Gladiolus' thumb for dear life. “Can you warn me next time?!” His brain caught up to what he was saying; there wouldn’t be a next time. He was going home never to see Gladiolus again.  Somehow that thought didn’t make him feel good.</p><p>Gladiolus gently placed him on the ground and hovered briefly while his knees stopped behaving like jello. Once stable he walked a few feet away and turned back. “Will you kindly stop attacking our convoys?”</p><p>The maralith shrugged and looked away.</p><p>“Please?”</p><p>The nod he received was almost imperceptible but it was there. Nodding back in acknowledgment Ignis waited to see if he’d say anything else.</p><p>“Et iterum autem videbo vos?”</p><p>Ignis heard something about see and the word again.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>“Are you asking if we’ll see each other again?”</p><p>Gladiolus nodded rapidly.</p><p>Taking a deep breath Ignis found himself uttering the most insane idea he’d ever had. “I could teach you how to speak English if you’d like.” </p><p>“Yes!”</p><p>“You know it already though, liar.”</p><p>“No,” Gladiolus tacked on with the most shit-eating grin Ignis had ever seen plastered on a monster’s face.</p><p>“I mus--.”</p><p>“Ignis! Are you alright?” Cor’s voice asked from behind him.</p><p>“Marshal! Thank the six, yes!” Ignis replied spinning around quickly. Running over Ignis stumbled, due to his bruised ankle, and promptly fell into Cor’s arms.</p><p>“I gotcha you’re safe,” he added while hauling him upright and slinging Ignis’ arm over his shoulder.</p><p>A worried shout from a nearby glaive alerted Ignis to the current situation. Gladiolus was right there scowling at Cor, his demeanor stiff and intimidating. “Amans?” He fumed.</p><p>“NO!” Ignis shouted. “You’re terrible, “Frater, dammit, frater!”</p><p>Instantly the maraliths face softened and he backed away. “Amans?” he asked again while gesturing to the crowd of glaive on guard.</p><p>“No, I don’t have amans.”</p><p>That blinding smile came back followed by a phrase, Ignis was learning, gave him heart palpations. “Tu es amans mei.”</p><p>After a few awkward minutes of trying to not say goodbye, because who did that to a monster, Ignis hobbled away with Cor supporting his weight, he was going home. Once they were safely in the car and on the road heading back to insomnia Ignis allowed himself to look out the back window. He could see Gladiolus making his way back up to his cave.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re alright? You seem pale.”</p><p>“A giant half-snake man told me I’m his lover, Cor. How do you expect me to be?” Ignis could tell Cor was trying not to laugh. “I understand things could have ended much worse, but I don’t have a clue what to do next.”</p><p>“First things first, you rest.” Cor rummaged in a bag nearby and produced a potion. “Take this and drink some water. Let us do the rest okay.”</p><p>Nodding his head in agreement, Ignis broke the potion bottle and felt his ankle heal. Nursing a water bottle Ignis let his mind wander. Would he come back to teach Gladiolus English? He’d not exactly promised to do so, but wasn’t his word good enough? Perhaps having a maralith as an alley would be a good thing. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Do let me know if you all want more maralithio it was fun to write. :)</p><p>Check me out on tumblr if you want.  Just mostly FFXV stuff with some random dribbles.  <a href="https://bgn846.tumblr.com/">BGN846 Blog</a></p><p>or Twitter  <a href="https://twitter.com/BGN846?lang=en"> BGN846 Twitter</a></p><p>Please don't copy or plagiarize my work.  Thanks!  Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or any of its contents.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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